Dies and punches for making nuts.



G. DUNHAM.

DIES AND PUNGHES FOR MAKING NUTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 190a.

928,509. Patented July 20. 1909.

2 SHEETBBHEBT 1.

: :z o' f 11 g 41 5 G. DUN HAM.

DIES AND PUNUHES FOR MAKING NUTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1908.

928,509. Patented July 20. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2,

1 s 44444444441404 4% wQQ/ k [MW/755555 8 .is a broken out plan view 'of the GEORGE DUNHAM, OF UNIONVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

Dms AND rmicnnsro'n MAKING NUTS.

' Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

. Application filed June 9, 190a. semi 80.431514.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, GEORGE DUNHAM, a citizen of'the United States, residingat Unionville, in the county of Hartford and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies and Punches for Making N uts,'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates 'to improvements in dies and punches for making nutsand the special ob ect of my improvement is to construct and combine the dies and punches withspecial reference to their use in an automatic machine, whereby efficiency in operation is effected and good work is produced at a small cost.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a face view of the several dies as viewed from the rear 0f theunachine. .Fig. 2 is a plan view of the punches with'a horizontal section of the dies, the front of the machine being at the bottom and consequently the right hand die as shown in Fig. 2 is shown at the left in Fig. l.v Fig. 3 is an enlarged face View of the swaging die in a slightly modified form as com ared'with Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a vertica section of the die bed and connected parts on the line as a: of Fig 1, the said view being on the same'scale asFigs. 1 and 2'. Fig. 5 1s a front view of the adjustable block upon which the gage lever 1s pivoted. Fig. 6 is a face View of a bar of metal illustrating the operation of the several dies thereon. Fig. 7 is a broken out side elevation of the age lever operating mechanism, together with a vertical section of a portion of the bed of the machine. Fig. arts shown in Fig. 7 less the bed of the mac ine, the friction roller of the gage lever and an adjacent portion of the gage lever being shown in horizontal section on the line y 3 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a face view of the punch or punches for the notching dies. Fig. 10'

is a front elevation of the swinging gage .lever with a sectional view of its pivotal screw 27, and cap holding screw 42.

commonly used in machines that are substantially the same as a power (press having sometimes only one crank an one punch sllde, and sometimes two cranks and two punch slides, and generall that the slide or sli es move horizontally.

they are arranged so My dies and punches as shown are adapted foran ordinary double crank machine. having two horizontally moving punch slides.

The present invention relates to the dies and punches, in connection with which I employ a new gage.

A designates a die bed to which the several die holders are secured in any proper manner. The die holder 10 is provided with.

a die 11 having two V shaped cutting edges 12 with the apices of the said edges facing each other and arranged on a line that extends transversely to the lower gage 13 for gaging one edge of the bar from which the nuts are to be made. I refer to secure the saidgage rigidly to a lock 26 having a vertical slot 45 through which a bolt 46 extends to the die bed A whereby the gage may be adjusted vertically. This die acts to cut V shape notches in the opposite edges of'the bar and hence it is designated as the notching die. It may be fitted to and held within 1ts holder in an pro er manner. As shown it is held wit in t e recessed holder by means of a set screw 20. Adjacent to the die holder 10 is the die holder 14 in which is a die block 15 having a round hole 16 for punching the central hole of the nut 'blanks 1n the bar. The edge of the lower gage 13 extends from in front of the notchmg to or a little beyond the die block 15, but its edge is provided with a notch or recess'18 adjacent to the notching die topermit the notching punch to pass therethrough. The die holder is provided with holes 21 to carry off the scrap. The opposite edge of the bar in passing bythe' dies so far described is gaged and the bar clamped edgewise by means of an opposing movable gage 19, acting in connection with the lower gage 13.

On the die bed at the right of the notching dies, when standing in front ofv the machine,

I and at the left of the notching die as shown in Fig. 1, a pivotal block 22 for the gage lever is adjustably mounted so as to be a justed toward and from the said notching die. Any suitable and ordinary construction may be employed for adjusting this block as Dies and punches for making nuts are block is perforated andthe gage lever pivoted thereon by means of a screw 27 that passes through the said block and into the said lever. Thesaid age lever comprises vertical and horizonta arms, the vertical arm 23 the said roller.

of a cam 32 preferably on the main shaft of the machine. Instead of having the said cam act directly on the said slide, I prefer to have the cam act on a friction roller 33 that is mounted on the head 34 of a yielding bolt 35. This bolt is slidingly mounted in a frame 36 that is rigidly secured to the said slide and is provided with a stout spring 37, one end of which bears on the head 34 of thesaid bolt while its otherend bears on the frame 36. If everything is in proper working order the slide 30 is moved longitudinally by-the cam 32 the same as if the said friction roller was mounted directly on the slide, but in case the moveme'nt of the slide is blocked, the yielding mechanism hereinbefore described for connecting the friction roller with the said'slide enables the bolt on which the said roller is mounted to move forward without any movement of the slide and hence any damage to the machine is avoided. The slide is moved in'the direction to release the wedge 31 from the roller 29 by means of a sprin 38, that is connected by one end to the sai slide and by its other end to the fixed cap 39, through which the slide moves. The movement of the wedge under the end of the horizontal arm 28 of the gage lever forces the said arm n wardly thereby rocking the upper end 0 the vertical arm 23 of the said lever swinging it toward one side in the direction to carry the clamping gage 19 downwardly against the notched upper edge of the bar and thereby clamp the bar edgewise between the gages l9 and 13. When the wedge is withdrawn from under the friction roller of the gage lever the movable gage is released so as to release the bar. I prefer to adjustably mount the movable gage on the upper end of the gage lever and as shown I do'so by rigidly securing the said gage 19 to an adjustable cap 40 having a slot 41 through which a screw 42 may pass into the vertical arm 23 of the gage lever so that the said block and attached gage may be moved up or down and secured in their adjusted position by tightening up the said screw. The said gage lever also 0 crates what I call a comblned clamping an centering or spacing gage 43. This gage 43 is mounted on the movable gage 19 so as to become a. part thereof and swing up and. down from and toward the notched edge of the bar with its lower end in position to engage the said inally on the main bed or notched edge and bear upon two of the oppositely beveled inclines thereof. It is immaterial whether it acts on two opposing sides of one nut blank or upon the opposing sides of two different nut blanks. The shape of its end is immaterial so long as it bears on two such opposing faces. As shown the lower or acting end 44 of the said gage 1s pointed and beveled soas to bear on the opposite inclines of one V shaped notch in the bar, and consequently on the sides of two different nut blanks. The effect pf this is to force the bar ro erl a ainst t e o posing gage 13 and lso to i nm re the bar, slightly in the direction of its length so as to bring a nut blank centrally over the round hole die 16 for punching the hole in the center of the said blank. Of course the bar must be momentarily free to move longitudinally when this gage acts on the bar.

The notched bar passes the punching die holder 14 to the third die holder 17 in which there is a crowning die 47 and a flattening die 48, the same being preferably formed in one piece or die block 47. lhe crowning die has a central hole 50 therethrough and a concave face 51 surrounding the said hole and concentric therewith, the said concave face being formed in a projection 52 that stands out beyond the face of the die at each end thereof, as best shown in .Fig. 2. In order to show the best way to, form such a die I have shown in Fig. 3 a slight modification thereof and in which 47 designates the crowning die which has the same central hole 50 as in Figs. 1 and 2. The centers of the two adjoining nut blanks are laid out on the opposite sides of this central hole at proper distances therefrom. If desired these centers may be defined by other round holes 50. By means ofta suitable sweep or milling tool the concave face 51 for the die proper is formed and then a similar concave face on either side thereof concentrically to the other round holes or the centers thereof, as indicated by the semi-concavities 51 The face of the die block is then planed ofl" up to the centers of the holes 50 on each side of the concave face 51 and to the depth of the 05ncavity. If desired, the greater part of the semi-concavities may be planed off leaving the projection 52 with but little more than one concavity in it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The adjacent concavities are so large, or so near each other, that they run together and meet in lines that extend transversely across the die in parallel lines, as shown at the lines 53 in Fig. 3. Any suitable or ordinary edge gages 54 may be secured above and below the dies 47 and 48. The said gages may also extend partly across the fourth and last die holder 55 in which the round die block 56 of the trimming or cutting off die 57, is held by means of a set screw 58. The punches for these respective dies are carried in the two two notching punches are hexagonal so as to present four cutting edges 66. These are let into a recess in their holder 67 in connection with three filling blocks, the middle filling block 68 being recessed on two sides to fit the confronting sides of the punches 61, while the end filling blocks 69 are .recessed to fit the opposite sides of the said punches. These punches and blocks are held inv place in the die holder 67 by a cap 70 and set screws 71. The middle filling block is of a width to hold the said punches the proper'distance apart to act on the two V shaped cutting edges 12 of'the*notching die 11.

lVhile each notching punch has four cutting edges only two of these edges on each punch can be used at one time. It is thus immaterial whether or not the said punches have more than two cutting edges each. They are provided with four edges so they may be reversed to bring two fresh cutting edges into action when desired. The respective unch holders 72, 73 and 74 for the roun hole punch 62, the crowning and flattening punches 63 and 64, and the trimming punch 65 are or may be of any ordinary construction and require no further description. The die for the round hole should of course be provided with some suitable picker or take off 75 to pull the bar oil from the round hole punch 62 as the said unch recodes from the die 16. I desire a so to employ an ordinary spring actuated knock out 76 within the central hole of the'crownin die, to eject the bar of metal from the sai die but no novelty isclaimed for the knock out of itself. The crowning punch 63 and the trimming punch 65 may be provided'each with an ordinary pilot or centeringpin 77.

The two slides 59 and 60 move forward together tOWB'Td the dies with the left hand slide (30 a little in advance of the right hand slide-59 The bar 78, Fig. 6, is fed into the machine from the right toward the left, so as to pass between the several dies and unches and their gages. After the bar has Been acted upon by all of the dies and punches, all that portion of the bar so acted upon has a series of V shaped notches in its opposite edges, which notches I have numbered from 1 to 11, inclusive at the u per edge of the bar. I- have also numbere the nut blanks in like manner at the lower edge of the bar. The ordinary feed of the bar stops and releases the bar when the left hand slide 60 is about to present the pilot '77 of the trimming punch 65 to the round hole in the nut blank marked 1 and shown in broken upper edge of the bar.

lines as on the end of the bar. This pilot controls the position of the bar as the nut is trimmed and severed from the bar. The pilot 7 7 of the crowning puncl. next engages the nut blank marked 5, and controls the position of the bar for crowning the said blank and at the same time flattening the blank marked 3. When these three operations have been performed the left hand slide 60 recedes and withdrawsits punches and about the time that the pilot of the punch 63 re: leases the bar the slide and wedge 30 and 31 act to move the gage clamp lever so as to bring the end 44 of the movable'gage 43 into one of the upper notches of the bar 78,

and bearing on the opposing beveled or in'- clined edges of the bar brings the said bar into the proper position relatively to. its length to center a nut blank on the bar properly over the notching and round hole dies 11 and 16. At the same time this gage 43-44 presses the bar toward the-opposing edge gage 13 with a tendency to center the bar relatively to its width. That art of the movable gage 19 that projects rom the gage 43 to the right in Fig. 1, is especially designed for use in making square or other shaped'nuts without notching the baagand therefore when notchingtdies are employed for making hexagonal, octagonal, round or other form of nuts 011 a notched bar I prefer to arrange the end 44 of the gage 43, relatively to the. lower edge of the projecting art of the gage 19. so that the end 44 shal do all, or substantially all the work, the said lower edge of the prpjectingpart of the gage 19, having little or no clamping pressure on the With the bar thus held, the left hand slide 60 continues to recede while the right hand slide59 continues to advance as shown in Fig. 2, and as indicated'therein by the respective darts. The respective dies and punches for this slide then notch the bar at the notches marked 11. and form the round hole in the nut blank marked 9, after which the ri ht hand slide begins to recede and then bot slides recede together until near the end of'their stroke. About the time that the picker or takebfi' frees thebar from the round hole punch 62, the cam '32 releases the gage lever and the feed takes hold of the bar to feed it forward a distance equal to the width of one nut blank, and the several operations are repeated.

The flattening die and unch act to level the nut blank, which is esirable, as a bur is liable to be formed by the round hole die and-punch adjacent to the said hole on that side of the blank which faces the die. flattening die and punch although desirable, are not essential. The nut blank marked 1, in Fig. 6, is cut off and trimmed, the blank marked 5 crowned and the blank marked 3, flattened at one blow of the left hand slide.

The

The notches marked 11 and the round hole in the nut blank marked 9 are made'at one blow of the right hand slide. It may be noted that one blow of each of the two slides cuts the notches marked 11, punches .the round hole in the nut I blank marked 9, crownsvthe nut blank marked 5, flattens the nut blank marked 3, and severs and trims the nut blank marked 1. The next blow of the two'slides will form one more pair of notches and perform the succeeding operations on the nut blanks'marked 10, 6, I and 2, respectively.

If the die Fig. 3, were employed-the operation would be the same only-instead of crowning the whole face of one nut blank at one stroke of the crowning punch, a half face of two adjoining nut blanks would be crowned at one blow. This is because the bar is fed only a distance equal to one nut blank so that only the width of one nut blank can'be'swaged or crowned no matter how much of the bar the crowning die covers. The crowning die must be above the general surface of the die block in which it is formed on that side at which the bar is presented thereto so that the uncrowned portion of the bar may move toward the face of the die block Without obstruction when the face that is crowned is forced into the concavity of the crowning die.

It is evident that any desired form of nut that would result in waste pieces at the edges of a straight bar of metal which pieces might be cut out by means of notching dies and punches, may be made with mydies by merely changing the shape of the notching and trimming dies and punches, while square nuts may be made by merely omitting the notching punches that portion of the movable gage which enters the notches in the bar, and substituting a trimming die and punch of a square form for the hexagonal form herein shown. I may also note that for clamping the bar edgewise and releasing it, two gages acting on the opposite edges of the bar are necessary, but it is immaterial whether or not one gage is fixed so long as one of the two gages is movable.

It is apparent that some changes from the specific construction herein disclosed may be made and therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form of construction shown and described, but desire the liberty to make such changes, in working my invention, as may fairly come within the spirit and scope of the same.

I claim as my invention 1. In a set of dies and punches for making nuts from a bar of metal, acrowning die having an elevated portion projecting beyond the adjacent face of the die on that side to which the said bar is presented, and a concavity sunk Within the said elevated portion, the said concavity having doubly beveled edges that extend transversely to the said die in parallel lines on two opposite sides of the said concavity,.and a crowning punch having a face for pressing on one side of the said bar to.force its opposite side into the said concavity. I

2. In a set of dies and punches for making nuts from a bar of metal, the combination of notching dies and punches for notching the opposite side of the bar for the respective nut blanks thereon with a gage for one edge of the said bar, an opposing movable gage having faces for engaging two oppositely inclined edges of. the notched portion at the opposite edge of the said bar, and a round hole die and punch for punching the central hole of the said nut blanks, the said dies being relatively located to each other and to the said gages to have the latter bring the bar into the proper position over the said notching dies and over the round hole die.

3. In a set of dies and punches for making nuts from a bar of metal, the combination of notching dies and punches for making notches in the opposite edges of the said bar, with a gage for one edge of the bar, and an opposing gage arranged to move to and from the opposite edge of the bar at the notched portion thereof, the said gage having faces for engaging two oppositely inclined edges of the notched portion of the bar to bring the bar into the proper position over the said notching dies.

4. In a set of dies. and punches for making nuts from a bar of metal, the combination of notching dies and punches for making notches in the opposite edges of the said bar with a gage for one edge of the said bar,'an opposing gage arranged to move to and from to and from the opposite edge of the bar at the notched portion thereof, the said gage having faces for engaging two oppositely inclined edges of the notched portion of the bar to bring the bar into roper position over the said notching dies, a swingingangle lever upon which the said movable gage is mounted, a wedge shaped slide for engaging one arm of the said angle lever, a cam for operating the said slide, and a yielding mechanism mounted on the said slide for the said cam to act upon.

GEORGE DUNHAM.

Witnesses GEORGE E. TAFT, VALENTIN HEIDIG. 

